Sunday, August 20, 2017

Saint Oswin, King and Martyr of Deira, Northumbria

When his father, King Osric of
Deira (roughly the county of Yorkshire), was killed by the pagan Welsh King
Cadwallon in 633, he was taken to Wessex for safety, baptized, and educated
there by Saint Aidan (f.d. August 31). When his cousin Saint Oswald (f.d.
August 9) was killed in battle against King Penda of Mercia in 642, Oswin
became king of Deira, which Oswald had united to Bernicia, and his cousin Oswy
(Oswiu) became king of Bernicia.

Saint Bede (f.d. May 25) tells us
that Oswin was "handsome in appearance and of great stature, pleasant in
speech and courteous in manner. He was generous to high and low alike and soon
won the affection of all by his kingly qualities of mind and body so that even
men of very high birth came from nearly every province to his service. . . .
and among his other qualities of virtue and moderation the greatest was
humility."

Oswin had reigned successfully
for about nine years, when Oswy declared war on him. Rather than precipitate a
bloody battle when he realised that his army was vastly outnumbered, Oswin went
into hiding with one trusted soldier at the estate of his best friend, Earl
Hunwald, at Gilling near Richmond, York. Hunwald betrayed him and he was
murdered at Gilling, Yorkshire, by Ethelwin on orders from Oswy.

Oswin, buried at Tynemouth, has
been venerated as a martyr since his death, because he died, "if not for
the faith of Christ, at least for the justice of Christ," as a
12th-century preacher explained.

In expiation for his crime, Oswy
built a monastery at Gilling, but Oswin's relics remained at Tynemouth. Later
the church was subject to the Viking raids and Oswin's tomb was forgotten until
it was found in 1065. At that time the relics were translated. St Oswin’s feast
day is on August 20th. The feast of his translation on March 11 is
kept at Durham, Saint Albans, and Tynemouth.

About Me

I have studied Theology at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Theology, International Relations at the University of London (Queen Mary). My Master's Thesis was published as a book: 'The Aegean Sea Dispute Between Greece and Turkey - The Consequences for NATO and the EU'. For more information see: http://www.akakia.net/el/the-aegean-sea-dispute-between-greece-and-turkey
I have also studied Byzantine Music in Athens and I am currently undertaking a research on the “Fellowship of St. Alban and St. Sergius and its contribution towards Anglican – Orthodox Relations”, at the University of Winchester.
I also represent the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain at the A.E.C.A. If you wish to contact me you can email me: demetrifs1@yahoo.com